Museums of the Lost “German East”. Conditions of Operating and the Evolution of Exhibitions in the Polish-German Context
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Muz., 2018(59): 68-78 Rocznik, eISSN 2391-4815 received – 04.2018 reviewed – 04.2018 accepted – 05.2018 DOI: 10.5604/01.3001.0012.0741 MUSEUMS OF THE LOST “GERMAN EAST”. CONDITIONS OF OPERATING AND THE EVOLUTION OF EXHIBITIONS IN THE POLISH-GERMAN CONTEXT Magdalena Izabella Sacha Chair of Cultural Studies, Faculty of Languages at the University of Gdańsk Abstract: The article discusses so-called East German is the focus of museums as well as science and culture museums and the way they operate in the light of institutions in contemporary Germany. The article presents a document ratified by the Bundestag in 2016. The a survey of East German museums – the East Prussian State document in question concerns the further progress of Museum (Ostpreuβisches Landesmuseum) in Lüneburg, implementing the provisions of paragraph 96 of the German the West Prussian State Museum (Westpreuβisches Law on Expelled Ethnic Germans and Refugees (BVFG) of Landesmuseum) in Warendorf, the State Museum of 1953, popularly referred to as the “cultural paragraph”. The Pomerania (Pommersches Landesmuseum) in Greifswald, concept of the “German East” bears reference to the historic and the Silesian Museum (Schlesisches Museum) in Görlitz territories of pre-1945 German settlements whose heritage – interested in, i.a. territories at present belonging to Poland. Keywords: “German East”, East German museums, paragraph 96 of the German Law on Expelled Ethnic Germans and Refugees (1953), Recovered Territories. One of the permanent outcomes of the Second World War culture subsequently useful in creating memory sites (the was shifting the borders of Poland and Germany and the famous lieux de mémoire proposed by Pierre Nora – cultural ensuing compulsory resettlement of the German, Polish, orientation points, places, practices, and expressions and Jewish population to the West. The Germans lost their produced by a joint past, both material – monuments, “German East” (deutscher Osten), and the Poles – the and intangible – language and traditions). Memory sites Eastern Borderlands. On their way to the West the exiles assumed the form of chambers and museums making were accompanied by objects of everyday use, skills, and possible the preservation and dissemination of the cultural memories, i.e. artefacts and an awareness of intangible achievements of lost homelands and the integration of 156 MUZEALNICTWO 59 from abroad the scattered communities of the deportees, in which numerous cultural, scientific, and museum institutions via German “expellees” (Vertriebene)1 enjoyed, and still do, the state support for several selected museums by means of opportunity to present their cultural legacy on a permanent a suitably prepared scientific and teaching staff as well as basis. These facilities underwent a significant evolution from by expanding existing museums and erecting new ones, the 1950s to the present. A special role in German memory which are to accumulate, preserve, and present the cultural policy is performed by so-called East German museums heritage of the so-called German East. (ostdeutsche Museen) referring to particular historical In 2016 this Conception 2000 was reformulated by regions of the “German East”, lost in 1945. From the the cabinet of Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) restoring viewpoint of Polish museum curators, particular attention due place to the activity and tradition of homeland is due to museums presenting the history and heritage of associations and establishing new targets for the future. terrains (North and West Lands) lost by the Germans to The latter were to continue work connected with existing post-war Poland (and described by post-war communist or emerging so-called East German museums, libraries, propaganda as Recovered Territories). Today this is part of and scientific institutes as well as the strategic Foundation our joint history – a narration about the past of territories Flight, Expulsion, Reconciliation in Berlin (Stiftung Flucht, comprising one-third of Poland and populated by 10 million Vertreibung, Versöhnung – SFVV). Particular emphasis was inhabitants. How do the so-called East German museums placed on three aspects: 1) the inter-generational transfer shape this narration vis à vis the West – and Central- of collective memory about the “German East” thanks to European public? digitisation and digitalisation; 2) the necessity of reaching target groups in German society, e.g. assorted so-called “East German museums” – foundations late emigrants of German descent (Spätaussiedler) and and conditions of activity contemporary migrants from all over the world; 3) the necessity of continuing international co-operation with This outline presents selected museums known as East scientific and museum institutions in East-Central Europe, German by characterizing their legal bases, conditions of making it possible to show German contribution to the work, and permanent expositions. An explanation is due to history and culture of this part of Europe and its acceptance the applied concepts: East Germany (Ostdeutschland) and by the current inhabitants of those terrains. “German East” (deutscher Osten), which translated could be This successive conception (earlier ones originate from mistaken for the commonly used name of the former German 1982 and 2000) refers to §96 of the Federal Expellee Law Democratic Republic – DDR.2 Historically, however, “East – a legal act accepted in 1953 by the Konrad Adenauer Germany” was used to describe terrains belonging to Germany, government. In 1957 the contents of this paragraph were located to the east of the Elbe, and lost after the Second World supplemented by adding, i.a. museums and enjoining the War to Poland and Czechoslovakia. An even wider concept governments of particular Lands and the federal government of ”German East”3 pertains to German settlement lands in to promulgate the heritage of German expellees and exiles. Central and South-Eastern Europe regardless of their state and The content of §96, unchanged from 1957, is as follows: administration affiliation. They constitute a cultural area that Federal and State Governments are to preserve the cultural remains in the center of the interests and work of museums heritage from the expulsion regions in the consciousness known as East German and cultural functionaries affiliated by of expellees and refugees, the entire German nation and the Federal Republic of Germany. It was universally believed abroad according to the jurisdiction granted by the German that until cultural memory about the “German East” does not Constitutional Law. They must safeguard, supplement and perish this part of the homeland would not be lost. Scientific- expand archives, museums and libraries, as well as promote historical work on memory, its transference and popularisation and support establishments for the production of art and in schools by means of education addressed to adults, the education. Governments have to promote science and museums, and the media, prove to be an equally important research in the fulfilment of tasks arising from the expulsion and in no case apolitical activity.4 and the integration of expellees and refugees, as well as the Let us take a closer look at the current legal situation. development of the cultural achievements of expellees and In April 2016 the Bundestag proposed a discussion on refugees. The Federal Government reports annually to the a document concerning the development of the conception Bundestag on the activities undertaken.8 of studying, preserving, presenting, and popularising German From the point of view of Polish museum curators the culture and history in East Europe in accordance with §96 of activity of so-called East German museums deserves more the German Law on Expelled Ethnic Germans and Refugees attention than has been the case up to now, since the (BVFG),5 presented by Minister Monika Grütters (CDU), majority of German institutions financed upon the basis who at the time served as Commissioner for Culture and of the earlier cited paragraph a narration about historical the Media.6 The previous conception of the realisation terrains, which from the end of World War II comprise a of §96, universally known as the cultural paragraph,7 was significant part of Polish territory: East Prussia (Warmia and approved in 2000 by the cabinet of Gerhard Schröder (SPD). Masuria), West Prussia (Gdańsk Pomerania), Central and At that time the prime objectives of the West German East Pomerania, and Silesia. Dramatically abandoned by government included: 1) shifting the center of gravity from the Germans these lands were settled by the Poles, mainly supporting German homeland societies of the expellees incomers from the Eastern Borderlands (Kresowianie), to the development of international co-operation with i.e. alleged repatriates (actually expatriates) forced to neighboring states in a Europe undergoing unification; leave their homes in former Eastern Borderlands. German 2) greater professionalisation of the work conducted by deportees, who in the democratic Federal Republic created www.muzealnictworocznik.com MUZEALNICTWO 59 157 an electorate of more than 10 million votes,9 enjoyed the Centre at the Silesian House (Haus Schlesien)22 in opportunity to commemorate their small homelands Königswinter (North Rhine-Westphalia), and the East (Kleine Heimat) in several hundred homeland chambers/ Prussian Culture Centre (Kulturzentrum Ostpreuβen)23 in rooms (Heimatstuben)10 and in East German land museums Ellingen (Bavaria) received financial